OFFICIAL TONY AWARDS ELIGIBILITY 2025-26

[quizking101]

Posted: 11/20/25 at 4:44pm

Part 1: https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Tony-Awards-Administration-Committee-Meets-to-Determine-Eligibility-for-25-26-Season-20251120

Christine Sherrill will be considered eligible in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Musical category for their role in Mamma Mia!.

Andrew Bruce and Bobby Aitken will be considered eligible in the Best Sound Design of a Musical category for their work on  Mamma Mia!. (**Andrew Bruce and Bobby Aitken eligible in the Best Sound Design of a Musical category for Mamma Mia! because the Tonys had not yet established a category honoring sound design for the original 2002 production)

Will Harrison will be considered eligible in the Best Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role in a Play category for their role in Punch. 

Leanne Pinder (Movement Director) will be considered eligible in the Best Choreography category for their work on Punch.

Caissie Levy, Brandon Uranowitz, and Joshua Henry will be considered eligible in the Best Performance by an Actress/Actor in a Leading Role in a Musical category for their respective roles in Ragtime.

Adam Honoré & Donald Holder (Lighting Design) and 59 Studio (Projection Design) will be considered jointly eligible in the Best Lighting Design of a Musical category for their work on Ragtime.

Susannah Flood will be considered eligible in the Best Performance by an Actress in a Leading Role in a Play category for their role in Liberation. 

Updated On: 11/20/25 at 04:44 PM

[quizking101]

Posted: 11/20/25 at 4:51pm

I don’t think there are any major surprises here, although I’m still a bit shocked that Mamma Mia invited Tony voters, although I think it’s more in respect of their leading lady’s Broadway debut and the possibility she may end up nominated in an otherwise empty field.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/20/25 at 4:52pm

Interesting, Henry is going up against Uranowitz. 

Guess that means Andre de Shields can waltz to his second Tony. 

[TexanAddams18]

Posted: 11/20/25 at 4:55pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "Interesting, Henry is going up against Uranowitz.

Guess that means Andre de Shields can waltz to his second Tony."

Surely Deuteronomy is featured. He doesn't even show up till the last song of act 1.

[EDSOSLO858]

Posted: 11/20/25 at 4:57pm

TexanAddams18 said: "EDSOSLO858 said: "Interesting, Henry is going up against Uranowitz.

Guess that means Andre de Shields can waltz to his second Tony."

Surely Deuteronomy is featured. He doesn't even show up till the last song of act 1."

I was thinking that Uranowitz might be petitioned for the featured actor category, as he probably would've given de Shields a very good fight.

Updated On: 11/20/25 at 04:57 PM

[quizking101]

Posted: 11/20/25 at 4:58pm

TexanAddams18 said: "EDSOSLO858 said: "Interesting, Henry is going up against Uranowitz.

Guess that means Andre de Shields can waltz to his second Tony."

Surely Deuteronomy is featured. He doesn't even show up till the last song of act 1."

I think that’s the inference - Because Uranowitz wasn’t petitioned to Featured, short of another bombshell performance entering that category, Andre de Shields is currently the front runner for Featured Actor/Musical.

Pitting Henry and Uranowitz against each other also increases Nicholas Christopher’s Tony chances for CHESS

[jagman106]

Posted: 11/20/25 at 4:59pm

EDSOSLO858 said: "Interesting, Henry is going up against Uranowitz.

Guess that means Andre de Shields can waltz to his second Tony."

Unsurprising as Stokes and Friedman were both nominated for best actor in a musical for the original production. 

[JMH27]

Posted: 11/20/25 at 7:24pm

So unless we get more musical announcements, we are probably only looking at 4 nominees for Best Leading Actress in a Musical at the Tonys, right?

[TexanAddams18]

Posted: 11/20/25 at 7:34pm

quizking101 said: "TexanAddams18 said: "EDSOSLO858 said: "Interesting, Henry is going up against Uranowitz.

Guess that means Andre de Shields can waltz to his second Tony."

Surely Deuteronomy is featured. He doesn't even show up till the last song of act 1."

I think that’s the inference - Because Uranowitz wasn’t petitioned to Featured, short of another bombshell performance entering that category, Andre de Shields is currently the front runner for Featured Actor/Musical.

Pitting Henry and Uranowitz against each other also increases Nicholas Christopher’s Tony chances for CHESS"

Ah that makes wayyy more sense. I thought OP was saying Henry/Brandon would split the votes making way for shields. 

[quizking101]

Posted: 11/20/25 at 7:49pm

JMH27 said: "So unless we get more musical announcements, we are probably only looking at 4 nominees for Best Leading Actress in a Musical at the Tonys, right?"

It seems so. Right now, we only have Sherrill, Chenoweth, Michele, Levy, Pitts, Sara Chase, and whoever is slated for Lost Boys - you would need at least 2 more to meet the threshold for 5 nominees.

For men, the field looks similar - Tveit, Christopher, Henry, Uranowitz, Tutty, Brightman, Evans, and whatever “Lost Boy” gets a nod

Updated On: 11/20/25 at 07:49 PM

[malcs98]

Posted: 11/21/25 at 1:21am

quizking101 said: "JMH27 said: "So unless we get more musical announcements, we are probably only looking at 4 nominees for Best Leading Actress in a Musical at the Tonys, right?"

It seems so. Right now, we only have Sherrill, Chenoweth, Michele, Levy, Pitts,Sara Chase, and whoever is slated for Lost Boys - you would need at least 2 more to meet the threshold for 5 nominees.

For men, the field looks similar - Tveit, Christopher, Henry, Uranowitz, Tutty, Brightman, Evans, and whatever “Lost Boy” gets a nod"

Call me crazy even we don't have the eligibility status for Chess yet I wouldn't be surprised if Michele and Tveit would be considered for Featured and Christopher is leading...

[GirlFromOz68]

Posted: 11/21/25 at 3:27am

malcs98 said: "quizking101 said: "JMH27 said: "So unless we get more musical announcements, we are probably only looking at 4 nominees for Best Leading Actress in a Musical at the Tonys, right?"

It seems so. Right now, we only have Sherrill, Chenoweth, Michele, Levy, Pitts,Sara Chase, and whoever is slated for Lost Boys - you would need at least 2 more to meet the threshold for 5 nominees.

For men, the field looks similar - Tveit, Christopher, Henry, Uranowitz, Tutty, Brightman, Evans, and whatever “Lost Boy” gets a nod"

Call me crazy even we don't have the eligibility status for Chess yet I wouldn't be surprised if Michele and Tveit would be considered for Featured and Christopheris leading..."

Judy Kuhn was nominated as leading actress for Chess as Florence in 1988 why would that change now?

Updated On: 11/21/25 at 03:27 AM

[quizking101]

Posted: 11/21/25 at 5:42am

malcs98 said: "Call me crazy even we don't have the eligibility status for Chess yet I wouldn't be surprised if Michele and Tveit would be considered for Featured and Christopheris leading..."

Okay, you’re crazy.

Eligibility rulings are more or less meant to highlight any deviations from opening night credits that were petitioned by producers. Aaron, Lea, and Nick are all above the title per opening night credits and therefore are all considered leads.

Precedent aside, it would be absolutely bonkers considering CHESS has strong featured work from Bradley Dean, Bryce Pinkham, and Hannah Cruz.

[Broadway61004]

Posted: 11/21/25 at 7:47am

GirlFromOz68 said: "Judy Kuhn was nominated as leading actress for Chess as Florence in 1988 why would that change now?"

I agree Michele will be leading, but worth noting that in 1988 they were far less likely to deviate from opening night billing, so Kuhn being leading then doesn’t really affect what they'd say now.

I'm also guessing whoever plays Janet in Rocky will end up being considered leading, so that brings us 1 shy of the requirement for 5 nominees. Probably one other show sneaks in before the end of the season, so I'm guessing we'll end up with barely enough for the 5.

[broadwayfan_7214]

Posted: 11/21/25 at 8:29am

Hey everyone! I’ve been working on something I figured other theatre nerds might love, a Tony Awards tracker that updates throughout the season with all the major races, frontrunners, dark horses, surprise contenders, and category breakdowns.

It’s designed to be super easy to follow, and it updates as new shows open, reviews drop, and buzz shifts. Here is the link: tony-tracker.com

Thank you so much!